Stationary condenser



Feb. 21, 1956 w p DOOLEY STATIONARY C-ONDENSER Filed April 28, 1953United States Patent STATIONARY CONDENSER William P. Dooley, SouthCharleston, W. Va., assignor to American Viscose Corporation,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application April 28, 1953,Serial No. 351,676

3 Claims. (Cl. 183-57) The present invention relates to a novel andimproved means for condensing or separating fibrous materials fromsuspenisons thereof in air or other gaseous medium. More particularly,the present invention relates to a novel and improved fiber condensingdevice of such construction that undue fiber accumulation adjacentmoving parts is effectively eliminated.

In the textile art, the so-called fiber condenser. is, in many of thefiber processing operations, a very useful and oftentimes essentialpiece of apparatus. It is commonly employed to filter the variousfibrous materials from a turbulent body or stream of air in which theyare carried or suspended. Thus, for example, in conveying fibers from aconventional fiber-opening or other fiber? handling operation to asubsequent stage. of operation, such as packaging, relatively briskcurrents'or blasts of air are oftentimes used and a fiber condenser isemployed to settle or condense the fibers at the desired point ofdestination so that they can be readily processed thereafter in bulk orpackaged, such as by baling.v M V In a similar manner, the fibercondenser finds ready application in fiber drying,.mixing, blending, andmany other textile processing operations where currents or. blasts ofair or the like are applied to the fibrous material. m

Fiber condensers used prior to the present invention commonly consistedof a perforated drum rotatably mounted in a casing to which theair-blown fibers are supplied. The interior of the drum is ordinarilydivided into a suitable number of sections by a plurality of stationaryvalve plates or baffies which are secured one to the other adjacent theaxis of the drum and project in a radial manner therefrom. At any giveninstant during rotation of the drum, some of the radial sections of thedrum interior are connected to a suitable source of suction while othersare not. Thus, as the drum rotates at a predetermined rate about thevarious stationary radial sections thereof, the air-blown fibersdelivered to the casing are successively collected and discharged fromthe periphery of the drum. Considerable difiiculty has been experiencedin preventing stray fibers from short-circuiting the evacuated interiorportions of the drum and collecting adjacent its bearings in the casingthereby impeding its free movement and creating a fire hazard.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved fiber condenser wherein the undesired collection of strayfibers and the like adjacent its moving parts is substantiallyeliminated. 7

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description.

In the drawing, which is illustrative of the improved fiber condenser,

Figure 1 is a section on reference line II in Figure 2 of one embodimentof the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section on reference line II.II in Figure 1; and

Figure 2a is a perspective of a driving system.

2,735,510 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 In general, the improved fibercondenser of the present invention comprises an enclosed chamber with afiber collecting screen defining a wall portion thereof, meansfordelivering air-blown fibers to the chamber, and means externally ofthe chamber for alternately collecting the fibers on, and dischargingthe fibers from the screen. It has been found that in the use of such adevice, the abovementioned undesired collection of stray fibers adjacentits moving parts is eifectively minimized. More particularly, preferredembodiments of the invention are concernedwith apparatus for condensingfibers suspended in a gaseous fiuid. Such apparatus comprises areceptacle, the upper wall of which has a plurality of fiber collectingscreens spaced from each other. A discharge out-. let for the receptacleis connected to the bottom thereof. Means are provided for introducing afiber suspension into the receptacle, and means are provided forperiodically enclosing a region above each fiber collecting screen orpervious portion. Suitable mechanisms are also provided for alternatelysubjecting each enclosed region to suction and pressure to collect thefibers on the screens and to discharge the fibers from the screens. 1

One preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 1and 2 of the drawing. As illustrated therein, the air-blown fibers aresupplied from a source not shown on the drawing and conducted upwardlythrough the conduit or the like 3 into the enclosed chamber orreceptacle 4. The chamber is preferably constructed as a hopper havingsteep-side walls to reduce the tendency ,ofthe fibers to cling thereto..The discharge outlet 4a at the bottom of the hopper extends down wardlyto a suitable fiber-collecting means such as to a feed hopper for abaling press (not shown).

The condenser comprises a valve assembly generally designated as 5 andis preferably but not necessarily positioned above the hopper-likechamber 4 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. Accordingly, its housingmember 6 is secured as by cap screws 7 and a gasket, if desired, to thetop of the chamber 4. -The housing partition member 8 is secured, suchas by the screws 9, to the ceiling of the housing 6 and extendsdownwardly therefrom, providing a support for a stationary cylindricalmember 10 of the valve assembly 5. Top partition 8 and the diametricallydisposed bottompartition 8a and member 10 divide the space withinhousing 6 into two compartments 11 and 12 preferably of about equalvolumetric size.

Fiber collectors 13 and 14, which may comprise finemesh screens, extendbetween the sides of and the sides of the housing 6.

The cylindrical member 10 is enclosed at its opposite extremities asshown in Figure 2 of the drawing such as by the end plates 15 and 16secured to the member 10 by screws,.the.- juncture therebetween beingsealed by a gasket. The bearings 17 and 18 which arecentrally-positioned in the end plates-support a fixed elongated tubularhollow shaft 19 which extends through the interior of the cylindricalmember 10 and is closed at one end. by a cap 39. I

A hollow shaft or sleeve 20 carrying radially extending platesll and 22is rotatably mounted on the shaft 19 between axially spaced collars 23and 23a fixed on the partition 8a shaft 19. Drive gear 38 is secured toshaft 20. The

in alignment with the end walls 6a and 6b of housing 6. The perforations10a of member 10 are located entirely in the peripheral zone of suchmember that lies between the planes of plates 29 and '31) regrsiess orhowi far such platesarespaced froinw'alls 6darid6b'. The-peters tion'smust also be disposed entirely betweenend walls 6aand 6b of the housing6', a-coi'i'dnit 28 is co'r'ih'ecte'd to each end zone 26am 27 whichzones ai' sufroiindedby non-perforated peripheral bands oftheifnmber 101A source of suction is co'nn'ectedto conduits: -28 whieh suction pullsair from the ends of the cylindrical member 11) whereby reduced pressurecan be produced in whichever half of the perforated zone o'f inember10*(24 in the position showfin Figs. -1' and2') whichis in communicationwith endzones 2'6 and 27, I

The 'eriirircalar end plates 29 and 30 which are positionedfat' each endor the s'l'efidirfe'htbe'r serve with plates'21 and 22rd isolate one ofthe section's 24am] 25 from" the "othensec'tion' andfrornthe'ehd-chambers or z'o'nes 26"and'27. When one of'the" seetiafisza'er"25 is" so isolated; the suctionpulljlthro'ughthat-section is cut ort.One or "more we'ights'ZGa 'r' nay baseman to Shaft 20' to counterbalancethe pla't'es29 and the positioa'shown 'in'Figure 1,- sections-5 i thusisolated and section 24 of the cylindrical ineinlier'loisinkomffiunication with end zones 26,"27"and conduits"28' to thesuctions ource or sources. The nelosed 'ofr isolated-se tion 25il'r'tli'e position shown) tllylindi'iai member is adapted to beconnected toanysiiita ble 's'oufceofpr'es sore notshown on the drawin-throu h apertures 34 in the portion of shaft 20' between plates '29and30,- one of th'e' diametrically opposite sets 'of a'pertures 34a'- infixed-shaft 19, and the bores Of Shaft 19, flanged coupling" 33; andpipe 31, the latter'being controlledby the valve 32.

The va'lve 32 in 'thepressnreline SI- is 'normallyurged to close theline by asprmg 32a which "acts againsta collar on the solenoid core 35pivotally cohnect'ed"to a lever 35a which swingsthe valve core; I

flay suitatile r ans-may beprovided fonintermittntly' rotatir'ig the"shaft 20 with its -plates21,-22,- 29 and 30 which iniefie'ct' form asenii-eytindr'ical 'Valye core vvitliin theperfo'rated'zone ofth'e'cylindrical member" 10; This rotating means isalsdopei'ativ'elyconnected with meansfor momentarily introducing ressureinto the isolated Section (24' or '25 'within the iates-21, -2'2',- 29and 30.- Tl'iis rotating ineans'cor'npris es an aec'triv'mororss (seeFi'gu'reila') connected-"iii a circuit comp'lris'in'glines 86 'iirid 87connected to alsource iztf'pjo'wer indicatedby the legend Litre? -A-master swith' 88 is provided 'to s tart and stop'* the motor 85. Duringoperation of the machine; the switch 88 rem'ains 'iiiclosed positionarid'them'oto'r is driven continuously at a censtantcrteprspeedand i'sconnected through aredueiiori g'ear bx 8910 a cam-90. Theiise'of'atii's'cam 90is' adapted to et switch91at periodic'intervais.This swim; 9l is onk nectdin serieswith'the fuse art-(tore solenoid-'92-6f arelay h'aving a'retract'abl core 93 whichdhr'ing periodsof-deenei'gization of the solenoid 9'2'i's'ur'ged in asuit'abl'emannersu ch as By-spriri meaas or by grzifitwas shown-,- intoe'ngagement with the notched control disc 94 for a single revolutionclutch 95 the driving element of which'is' driven ontirruonsi -byamotor"96 w may gilsdbe c bjtlriie'dto the Line15y 'a iffi'if not ho in.Closure of the" switch 91 causesretraction ofthe core or l 93"andtherotation of snares-r rat-a sifig'le' revol l the shaft at the competion of one retention beingstop d by there-engagement or the*di'sc94 by"the atten 3. The sh'aft'97 carries fixedly-secufed tlir'e n fontherewith a gean9'S'liavingha1f are iiifm'be'r rite-gear- 38vvitlrvvhich it 'is "e' areas half? 20. A earn 99 is fixedly moiin ed onI ,7 rise as -adapted;magenta-toas ers of 'switc'h 1i a"-irchitcaaaprisiag'the solenoid 36. Thesivitch mafia v the rise of cam 99are so disposed on shaft 97 that solenoid 36 is energized near thecompletion of each half revolution of the shaft 20. Preferably, switch100 is reopened to de-energize solenoid 36 upon the completion of thehalf-revolution for reasons explained more fully hereinafter.

In operation, the various parts of the system may be assumed to bedisposed in the relationship shown in Figures 1 and 2, The gaseoussuspension of fibers enters the chamber 4 through the conduit 3 and issucked up against the perforated screen 13 by virture ofthe fact thatreduced pressure is communicated into the region 12 through the aertures on the leftside of cylindrical member 10 (as viewed in Figure1). The reduced pressure within the left half of cylindrical member 10is communicated thereto through the end chambers 26 and 27 and thesuction conduits 28. After a predetermined rvaly a reasonably thickblanket of fibers is colwas the screens: and thecam 9t) closes theswitch 91. The fre cjui'ericyof 'closureof switch'91 is determined byselection'of "the speed of themotor 85 and the reduction'g'ear 89 andthese detailsare selected in accordance with the density"and' rateoffiowof the fiber suspension. Upon the closure of switch 91, latch 93isretra'cted and the single-revohitioncluteh 95 rotates gear 98 througha single revolution"which rotates gear '38 and shaft 20 throughahalf-frevolut'i' so that the valve assembly comprising snarmoand 'pates 21, 22, 29 and 30 is rotated from the position shown to'a positiontherefrom. Near the-end-of that half-revolution, cam 99 closses switch100. This energiies solenoid 36 and opens valve 32. connecting the 'highpressure line 31 to the bore of shaft 19 andcausirigasiidden increase inpressure within the isolatedch'aniber 24' defined by plates 21, 22, 29and lftfarid thepe'rfo'ra'tedwall' at the left of cylindrical mam--b'er'10 as'viewed'iiiFigure 1. This high pressure is communicated fromthe zone-M'through the apertures 10a to the regi'6n12- whicl'r eau's'esthe mat of fibers held against the screen 13*to 'suddently released andto fall downwardly to thecollection receptacle. The setting of cam 99inay'be sddispbsed that the introduction of the high pressure air intothe zone 24 occurs as partition 22 passes the-iipperm'ost rowof theperforations 1011 on the left h de of cylindrical'm'ember 10, such rowof perforaing spaced*from the top of the member10 by ziaunperfdratdstrip of' 'substantial width x. For example; this' 'rnay be e'flect'edwhen partition 22 passes through tlie'dotted liiie' position shown.Similarly, on

, conduits28- ig-"gradssny traitsfef'r'e'd from one region such Itirs-mamas region, suchas re ion gorebnrs'egat are sonar-anon or thehalf-revolution of the isolatingvalve core,-'thesuction is continuouslyapplied to tli bac'li of the new -s'creen surface, such 1 as at 14 intheiiistance iust'n'ientioned.

Thil's,-fibers arealt'einately collected on one of the screens 13 and 14and alternately discharged from such s'cre ris aft'r building-up topredetermined thickness during predetermined n'iintefva'lscoritro'lledby the cam 90. All of tirelaoyiiigpins' in thesysteni'a'respaced b'akfof the collecting screens 13 and 14, thereby avoiding thetendency of fibers i6 testaetfac'ked throiigh "the spaces betweenrelatively moving parts as occurred in prior devices where thecollecting screen itself was moved.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, thedescription is intended to be illustrative only and it is to beunderstood that changes and variations may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for condensing fibers suspended in a gaseous fluidcomprising a chamber having a pervious wall, a fiber introducing conduitconnected with the chamber, a housing enclosing the pervious wall of thechamber, end plates for the housing, a perforated cylindrical memberwithin the housing, a mounting for the cylindrical member, thecylindrical member and its mounting dividing the housing into a pair ofcompartments, a hollow fixed shaft within the cylindrical member whichshaft lies concentrically with the member and is supported by thehousing end plates, one end of said shaft being connected with apressure source, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft,radially and axially extending plates se cured to the tubular shaftwhich plates extend into close clearance with the inner periphery of thecylindrical member to divide the interior of the cylindrical member intotwo compartments, two semicircular plates secured to the rotatabletubular shaft at points spaced inwardly from the housing end plates andextending radially to the inner periphery of the cylindrical member,said axially extending plates and semicircular plates forming with theshaft an isolation valve adapted to divide an intermediate zone withinthe cylindrical member into two semicylindrical sections isolated fromone another and to provide end chambers in the cylindrical member whichcommunicate with only one of the semicylindrical sections, the peripheryof the cylindrical member being perforated in the intermediate zoneonly; means for intermittently rotating the tubular shaft, suctionconduits leading into the end chambers, apertures in the fixed hollowshaft and in the rotatable tubular shaft for providingintercommunication between the bore of the fixed shaft and thesemicylindrical section of the cylindrical member which is not incommnnication with the end chambers whereby air under pressure may beintroduced into the non-communicating section of the cylindrical membera normally closed valve positioned in the hollow shaft; and means forperiodically opening the valve.

2. An apparatus for condensing fibers which are suspended in a gaseousfluid comprising a chamber having a pervious wall, a fiber introducingconduit connected with the chamber, a housing positioned over thechamber and enclosing the pervious chamber wall, end plates for thehousing, a perforated cylindrical member positioned within the housing,a mounting for the cylindrical member, said cylindrical member andmounting dividing the housing into two compartments, suction conduitsleading into the housing interior adjacent the housing end plateswhereby air may be withdrawn upwardly through the pervious wall of thechamber into the housing and the cylindrical member and outwardlythrough the ends of the cylindrical member to draw the fibers againstthe pervious chamber wall, means within the cylindrical member supportedby the housing end plates for alternately directing air under pressureinto each compartment to blast the fibers from the pervious chamberwall, and intermittently rotating closure plates secured to the meansfor supplying air under pressure for alternately closing off the suctionthrough one-half of the cylindrical member.

3. An apparatus for condensing fibers which are suspended in a gaseousfluid comprising a chamber having a pervious wall, a fiber introducingconduit connected with the chamber, a housing positioned over thechamber and enclosing the pervious chamber wall, end plates for thehousing, a perforated cylindrical member positioned Within the housing,a mounting for the cylindrical member, said cylindrical member andmounting dividing the housing into two compartments, suction conduitsleading into the housing interior adjacent the housing end plateswhereby air may be withdrawn upwardly through the pervious wall of thechamber into the housing and cylindrical member and outwardly throughthe ends of the cylindrical member to draw fibers against the perviouswall of the chamber, a hollow shaft extending through the cylindricalmember and supported by the end plates, diametrically opposed aperturesin the shaft opening into each compartment, an apertured rotatablesleeve mounted on the shaft, means for intermittently rotating thehollow shaft, said apertures of the rotatable sleeve being adapted tolie in alignment with the shaft apertures when the sleeve is at restwhereby air under pressure may be alternately introduced within eachcompartment of the cylindrical member through the hollow shaft and thesleeve apertures to blast the fibers from the pervious wall, and closureplates secured to the rotatable sleeve for alternately closing off thesuction through one-half of the cylindrical member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,031,454 Bilde Feb. 18, 1936 2,500,747 Ellis Mar 14, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS 205,462 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1939 729,916 France May 3, 1932

1. APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING FIBERS SUSPENDED IN A GASEOUS FLUIDCOMPRISING A CHAMBER HAVING A PERVIOUS WALL. A FIBER INTRODUCING CONDUITCONNECTED WITH THE CHAMBER, A HOUSING ENCLOSING THE PERVIOUS WALL OF THECHAMBER, END PLATES FOR THE HOUSING, A PERFORATED CYLINDRICAL MEMBERWITHIN THE HOUSING, A MOUNTING FOR THE CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, THECYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND ITS MOUNTING DIVIDING THE HOUSING INTO A PAIR OFCOMPARTMENTS, A HOLLOW FIXED SHAFT WITHIN THE CYLINDRICAL MEMBER WHICHSHAFT LIES CONCENTRICALLY WITH THE MEMBER AND IS SUPPORTED BY THEHOUSING END PLATES, ONE END OF SAID SHAFT BEING CONNECTED WITH APRESSURE SOURCE, A TUBULAR SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FIXED SHAFT,RADIALLY AND AXIALLY EXTENDING PLATES SECURED TO THE TUBULAR SHAFT WHICHPLATES EXTEND INTO CLOSE CLEARANCE WITH THE INNER PERIPHERY OF THECYLINDRICAL MEMBER TO DIVIDE THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDRICAL MEMBER INTOTWO COMPARTMENTS, TWO SEMICIRCULAR PLATES SECURED TO THE ROTATABLETUBULAR SHAFT AT POINTS SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE HOUSING END PLATES ANDEXTENDING RADIALLY TO THE INNER PERIPHERY OF THE CYLINDRICAL MEMBER,SAID AXIALLY EXTENDING